Why reactive clay moves
Reactive clay changes volume as its moisture level rises and falls. That seasonal expansion and contraction creates movement in the upper soil profile and can place conventional foundation systems under repeated stress.
Standard I-beams rely on soil friction to stay in place. When soil moisture levels change, clay soils expand and contract, grabbing the beam and shifting it unpredictably.
Anchoring below the active zone
The active soil zone is the layer most affected by moisture change. A foundation that depends on this moving layer stays exposed to the forces created as the clay expands and contracts.
The Multiturn Helix anchors below the active soil zone, so it resists the forces of clay movement entirely.
Specifying the pile
Ground behaviour is one part of the brief. The foundation also has to suit the structural load and the platform system above it.
Multiturn Screw Piles have a range of light to heavy duty steel shaft sizes and wall thicknesses. The steel Multiturn Helix can be married with a number of concrete platforms and leg arrangements, and is compatible with Solar Leg and all major steel screw pile leg arrangements.
- Start with the site's soil conditions.
- Match shaft size and wall thickness to the structural load.
- Coordinate the pile with the platform or leg arrangement above.